The Value of Lists
by Gabs
Summary: Holtz and Erin have been secretly dating - or so they think. When Erin accidentally tells Abby and Patty, she learns just how not secret it really is.


A hissing noise followed by a string of creative expletives - some seemingly in German - floated down from Holtzmann's lab. Patty and Abby both looked up; Erin just shook her head and continued working through the equation she'd been stuck on all morning. If she could just work out this last bit…

"So we don't think anyone should go check on her?" Patty ventured.

"Yeah, she normally yells down to let us know not to worry," Abby added.

"Sounds like a minor burn to me." Erin didn't look up, so she missed the matching raised eyebrows on her friends faces.

"Really? Just a little burn?"

"Yeah. You should hear the words that come out when she burns the side of her head with the flat iron getting ready in the morning. I'm pretty sure it's German and-" Erin clamped her mouth shut, realizing belatedly that she'd said too much. Wide eyes stayed focused on her paper, not ready to make eye contact just yet.

"That's interesting…" Patty drawled.

"Very. Also, Patty, you owe me $20 now."

"Damn it. Thanks, Gilbert." Erin finally lifted her head, confused gaze darting between the other two women.

"I… uh. What?"

"Surely you two don't think we're stupid," Abby snorted.

"Baby girl, we been onto you for a while."

"You… you have? And you didn't say anything?"

"Hell nah, why would we do that when we could place bets instead?"

"I had $10 that it would be you, and another $10 that you would crack on accident." Abby held out a hand towards Patty, wiggling her fingers expectantly.

"And I had $20 that it'd be Holtzy, and she'd just come out and say it." Erin continued to stare blankly.

"Our relationship status is only worth $20?" She tried her best to sound offended, though in reality she was relieved by the response.

"40, actually. Patty bet that it would happen during a bust, and I bet on a bar, so that one's a draw."

"I can't believe neither of you picked the station."

"Well, we both did at first, so it was a wash and we had to pick again." Patty shrugged. "Gotta admit, I was envisioning a dramatic revelation in the midst of danger. No offense, Erin, but this was kind of a letdown in comparison."

"Umm, sorry?" Erin glanced between her two friends nervously. "And, just to be clear, no one is upset about this?"

"We knew you'd tell us when you were ready. But that brings up the last betting line - how long has it been, exactly?" Abby scooted her chair back to her desk, reaching into a drawer and pulling out a sheet of paper.

"When did you two place these bets?"

"Three weeks ago." Abby waved the paper around and looked at Erin expectantly.

"Wow. Ok. Well, let me see…" she leaned back, staring at the ceiling thoughtfully. "It was… about a month and a half ago." Abby and Patty both leaned over the paper.

"So right after the mishap at that old factory?" Patty asked.

"You mean the one where I almost died? Yep, that one." Patty raised both arms, cheering loudly.

"At least I got one of them!"

"Don't celebrate too much, you still owe me $10."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll go get my purse." Grinning, Patty headed down the hall.

"Honestly, I'm still not sure how to react to all of that," Erin noted.

"You try to keep secrets, you're not very good at it, so we respect the effort while still having some fun of our own. Everyone wins. But mostly me." Abby looked pleased with her summation. "Speaking of, why did you want to keep it secret?" Erin picked up on a bit of hurt in her voice, and quickly moved to soothe it.

"It wasn't about keeping secret, especially not from you. It's just… I mean, you know me. You know I've always identified as bi, but never been in a relationship with a woman, and hell, it's been over a year since there was a relationship with anyone at all. I just wanted some time for us to be just us and make sure we weren't gonna screw things up."

"I'm glad it wasn't about thinking we'd judge you or be unhappy," Abby replied softly. "Though we know Holtz has never worried about the opinions of others."

"You'd be surprised," Erin countered. "She was actually pretty worried about how you'd take it." Abby's eyes widened.

"Why would she be?" Once again, Erin heard upset creeping in.

"Because you've known her long enough to know she's - in her own words - a bit of a player. She was afraid you'd think that was all she was in it for."

"Well, her being aware of that possible concern makes me not concerned about it. But I wouldn't have been before, either. I've seen the way she looks at you from day one; it's totally different from how she ever looked at any of her hookups."

"I think we can make this work, Abs."

"I think you can, too," Abby replied, moving to give her a hug. "But for the love of God, don't start ogling the woman any more blatantly than you already do."

"I am not that bad! Am I that bad?"

"Baby, there's a reason we caught on. A list of reasons, actually," Patty laughed as she rejoined them.

"The ogling. The eye sex." Abby ticked the items off on her fingers as she started listing.

"Eye sex? We do not… do that!"

"The hand holding when you think no one's looking," Patty added.

"The constant physical contact that you try to pretend is incidental."

"Leaving at the same time on the nights Holtzy actually leaves."

"The dancing. The awkward, bizarre dancing."

"Ok, I get it! Not subtle!"

"Laughing at the jokes that aren't actually all that funny," Patty continued as if she hadn't heard Erin's concession.

"The times you showed up wearing one of her shirts? Yeah, that's a big one."

"Feel free to stop anytime," Erin sighed.

"Ooh, eating off each other's plates."

"When you work in her lab more than you do down at your actual office space."

"Falling asleep cuddled up on the couch here. Adorable."

Finally realizing they would keep going until they exhausted their collective lists, Erin threw her hands up and headed for the stairs.

"Yes, that's another one! The way you go up to her lab to hide when you get upset."

"I'm not upset!" Erin called back.

"She's definitely not upset!" Holtzmann's voice floated down.

"Add that to the list," Patty noted.

"I think that's already there. I'd say it falls under the one about how Holtz always defends Erin."

"Good call. Oh, and then there's the way Holtzy…" Patty's next item faded out as Erin entered the lab. Holtz blinked at her from behind her goggles, slowly turning off the blowtorch in her hand.

"I may have accidentally told them," Erin offered. Holtz grinned.

"So who won the money?"

"You knew?!"

"Eh, I noticed that they noticed, but they said nothing, so I assumed there were bets made."

"You could've rigged the whole thing."

"Mm, tactical oversight on my part."

"They're currently reciting a list of things that tipped them off."

"We could go down there and give them at least 6 new things to add to it," Holtz suggested.

"Holtz!" Erin could feel the blush spreading up her neck.

"See, there's one already."

"Surely the list is over now that they know and we know that they know."

"Dream big, Gilbert." Holtz took off her goggles and moved around the bench to take Erin's hand. Leaning in, she kissed her softly before pulling back with a smile.

"You sure I can't convince you? Maybe just add 4 things…"

"Holtz!"


End file.
